IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


I  1.1 
11.25 


£g  |2^    12.5 
US 

2.2 


•IS 


j;o    |2.0 


/i 


/ 


'/ 


FliotDgiaphic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WnSTIR.N.Y.  MStO 

(716)  •72-4303 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techi 


The  Institute  hat  attempted  to  obtain  the  beat 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Featurws  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


0   Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

I     I   Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommag6e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur4e  et/ou  peiiiculAe 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

□    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReliA  avec  d'autres  documents 


0 


D 


D 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliura  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appeer  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  aJout4es 
iors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  At*  filmias. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentairas; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


n/ 


12X 


16X 


aox 


iphic  Notas/Notas  tachniquas  at  bibliographiquas 


last 
of  this 

a, 

langa 
alow. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  At6  possibia  da  sa  procurar.  Las  d6tails 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sont  paut-Atra  unlquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modiflar 
una  imaga  raprodulta.  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normala  da  fllmaga 
sont  indlquAs  ci-dassous. 


I      I   Colourad  pagas/ 


Pagas  da  coulaur 

Pagas  damagad/ 
Pagas  andommagias 

Pagas  rastorad  and/oi 

Pagas  rastaurtes  at/ou  palllcul6as 


r~~1   Pagas  damagad/ 

r~1    Pagas  rastorad  and/or  lamlnatad/ 


lack)/ 
ou  noira) 

V 

r 

distortion 

ra  ou  da  la 
ra 

1  may 
sibla.  thasa 

— 

IS  ajoutias 
ans  la  taxta. 
pagas  n'ont 

Pagas  discolourad,  stainad  or  foxad/ 
Pagaa  dicolortes,  tachatias  ou  piquAas 

Pagas  datachad/ 
Pagas  d6tachias 

Showthrough/ 
Transparanca 

Quality  of  print  varias/ 
Quality  InAgaia  da  I'lmprassion 

Includas  supplamantary  matarlal/ 
Comprand  du  material  supplAmantaira 

Only  adition  availabia/ 
Saula  Adition  diaponibia 

Pagas  wholly  or  partially  obscurad  by  arrata 
slips,  tissuas,  ate.  hava  baan  rafilmad  to 
ansura  tha  bast  possibia  imaga/ 
Las  pagas  totalamant  ou  partiallamant 
obscurcias  par  un  fauillat  d'arrata.  una  palura. 
ate.  ont  AtA  fllmAas  \  nouvaau  da  fa^on  h 
obtanir  la  maillaura  imaga  possibia. 


lackad  balow/ 

n  indiquA  ci-dassous 

22X 

26X 

30X 

20X                             24X                            ax                            32X 

Tha  copy  filmad  h«r«  haa  baan  raproducad  thanka 
to  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

Library  Diviiion 

Provincial  Archivei  of  British  Columbia 


La) 
g4n 


Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
poaaibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  Itaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacificationa. 


Laa 
plui 
da  I 
con 
film 


Original  copiaa  in  printad  papar  covara  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  iliuttratad  impraa- 
aion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
firat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impras< 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  — *•  (maaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (maaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applies. 

IMaps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  Illustrate  the 
method: 


Lea 
pap 
par 
dan 
din 
plat 
orig 
prer 
d'inn 
ladi 
emp 

Uni 
derr 
cas: 
sym 

Las 

fiimi 

Lors 

rapr 

del' 

et  di 

dim 

illusi 


1 

2 

4 

5 

L'axamplairs  film*  fut  raproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArosltA  da: 

Library  Divifion 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Las  imagaa  auivantaa  ont  At*  raproduitat  avac  la 
plus  grand  aoin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  I'axamplaira  filmA,  at  an 
conformitA  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Las  axamplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  ast  imprimAa  sont  filmAs  an  comnian9ant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  das  symbolas  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha,  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  -^  signifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
symbols  V  signifia  "FIN  ". 

Las  cartes,  planchas,  tableaux,  ate,  pauvent  Atra 
filmAs  A  das  taux  da  rAduction  diffArants. 
Lorsqua  la  document  ast  trop  grand  pour  A^re 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  ast  filmA  A  partir 
da  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  an  bas,  en  prenant  la  nombre 
d'imagas  nAcessaira.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthoda. 


2 

3 

5 

6 

I 


I 


A     NARRATIVE 


OP 


VOYAGES  IN  THE 

PACIFIC   OCEAN. 


Trinled  for  Wm.  E.  marry. 


1885. 

EASTERN  STAR  PRINT, 

KENNEBUNK,  ME. 


>  ^   ^  <■#  ■^^'■^fc^^ 


L 


Utop 


In  the 

events  q 

occnrreii 

live  of 

writer,  1 

witliout 

of  a  whi 

it  was  o 

Since 

prepare 

regret,  < 

was  als< 

show  hi 

Ken> 


■/'« 


■■> 


< 


.1  ■  t.;  : 


In  these  modem  times,  the  rapid  succession  of 
events  quite  drives  from  memory  many  interesting 
::  urre'ices  of  the  earlier  days.  The  following  narra- 
tive of  adventures,  related  at  the  request  of  the 
wHter,  by  the  participant,  and  carefully  transcribed 
without  anv  additions,  will  serve  to  present  a  picture 
ot  a  whaleman's  life,  fifty  years  ago.  In  this  instance, 
it  was  one  of  unusual  vicissitudes. 

Since  the  narrative,  and  even  the  above  note  was 
nrenared,  the  writer  has  heard  with  surprise  and 
^gre"^^^^^^  the  death  of  the  hero  of  the  story  This 
was  also  a  great  disappointment,  for  he  had  hoped  to 
show  him  an  annal  of  his  voyages  in  print,  w.  e.  b. 
Kennebunk,  June  27, 1886. 

Pacific  N.W:tt»toryDept. 

PROVINCIAL  ^^BJ*^^^ 
VICTOBtA,  B.  C. 


B9G3R 


Benjf 

it  was  I 

His  fat 

from  S 

licved 

of  Ber 

sister, 

nine  y 

sons  a 

eldest, 

streng 

Ralph 

Lydia 

that  ( 

now  c 

over ! 

door, 

thef< 

Ste 

owne 

Thel 

for  h 

land 

fine  1 


Benjamin  Fnrbish  was  born  at  Kennebnnk— when 
It  was  a  part  of  the  town  of  Wells— Me.,  July  8,  1803. 
His  father,  Stephen  Furbish,  emigrateil  to  this  place 
from  Sanford.  His  mother,  a  pious  woman,  who  be- 
lieved herself  to  be  a  ''faithful  servant ;"  was  a  native 
of  Berwick,  Me.,  in  which  town,  at  the  house  of  her 
sister,  she  afterwards  died,  at  the  great  age  of  ninety- 
nine  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  ten  children,  seven 
sons  and  three  daughters.  The  son«i  were  Rnfus,  I  lie 
eldest,  who  was  a  blacksmith,  and  noted  for  his  great 
strength,  Isaac,  Benjamin,  Stephen,  John,  Joseph  and 
Ralph.  The  daughters  were  Naomi,  the  oldest  cliild, 
Lydia  and  Mary.  Their  father,  whose  ocenpution  was 
that  of  a  blacksmith,  had  his  shop  near  the  house 
now  owned  by  Mr.  John  Cousens.  The  shop  stood 
over  Scotchman's  brook,  and  in  the  floor  wus  a  trap 
door,  through  which  water  could  be  baled  to  supply 
the  forgo. 

Stephen  Ft;bish,  senior,  built  the  house  hitt>ly 
owned  by  Capt.  John  Hill;  Benjamin  was  born  there. 
The  father  must  have  been  a  man  of  some  influence, 
for  his  son  says  that  he  induced  Mr.  St(»ror  to  soil 
land  to  J.  Usher  Parsons,  E^q.,  on  which  to  build  his 
fine  mansion. 


6 

Benjamin,  when  a  boy  but  ten  years  old,  helped  his 
father  in  the  shop,  and  winle  only  a  lad,  was  some- 
timcH  called  out  of  school  to  shoe  a  horse. 

Later,  lie  drove  a  cart  to  Biddeford,  for  his  brother 
Rnfus,  wh(»,  for  a  time,  tried  the  trade  of  a  butcher. 
While  helping  his  brother,  he  recalls  the  incident  of 
killing  a  young  creature,  solely  to  accommodate  a 
friend,  and  of  making  $5  profit  from  the  transaction. 
Eennebuiik  of  those  days  would  appear  oddly  now. 
On  the  hill,  lived  Mr.  Wm.  Taylor,  a  ship  builder; 
the  yard  of  his  house  was  full  of  timber,  on  which, 
ten  or  a  dozen  men  were  daily  at  work;  hewing  it  to 
proper  shape,  when  it  was  hauled  to  the  Landing  to 
be  built  into  vessels. 

Mr.  Furbish  well  remembers  the  visit  of  President 
Monroe  to  this  town,  (1817)  when  the  streets  had 
arches  over  them,  and  were  decorated,  all  up  and 
down  with  flags.  In  the  procession  formed,  marched 
Judge  Clark,  Mr.  Low,  Dr.  Emerson  and  other  prom- 
inent citizens,  while  the  boys  brought  up  the  rear. 
A  salute  was  fired  from  the  Kennebunk  Artillery 
Co.'s  brass  pieces,  under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Bar- 
nabas Palmer,  and  a  dinner  was  served  in  Jeilerds's 
hall. 

At  that  time,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  stood  the  new 
house  of  Mr.  Joseph  Dane,  which  one  day  took  fire, 
from  a  pan  of  hot  ashes,  and  burned  to  the  ground ; 
Mr.  Elisha  Chadbourne  and  Mr.  Joseph  Porter,  his 
neighbors,  hung  wet  blankets  out  to  protect  their 
houses. 


I>  helped  Inal 
,  was  some- 

hia  brother 
'  a  butcher, 
incident  of 
mrnodate  n 
'ransactioii. 
oddly  iiowr. 
lip  builder;  j 
>  oil  which, 
ewiug  it  to 
Landing  to 


F  President 
streets  had 
a"  up  and 
J.  inarclied 
Hier  prom- 
>  the  rear. 
Artillery 
Capt.  Bar- 
Jelferds's 

d  the  new 
took  Are, 
Jgi'ouiid; 
oi-tei',  his 
«ct  their 


nenjaniin  Fnrbisli  sailed  from  New  Bedford,  on  his 
first  voyiige  to  soii,  about  the  year  eighteen  hundred 
and  tweiity-flvo*,  in  the  winter  time,  in  the  ship 
Sophia,  a  whaling  vessel.  He  engaged  as  blacksmith, 
but  afterwards  did  seaman's  work  as  well,  and  re- 
ceived able  seaman's  pay.  The  vessel  carried  thirty- 
two  people,  and  was  a  very  good  looking  ship,  not 
with  painted  ports,  nor  "bright  sides,"  but  dark-sided, 
with  a  shade  of  blue,  or  green  about  her.  Although 
''modelled  like  a  tub,"  she  sailed  well.  She  carried 
three  whale  boats  hung  on  each  side,  each  about 
twenty-six  feet  long;  they  lowered  directly  int«  the 
water  from  the  davits.  Somethnes  the  men  got  into 
them  before  thoy  wei-e  lowered;  at  other  times, 
jumped  in  afterwards.  The  ship  carried,  besides,  two 
or  three  boats  on  skids  over  the  quarter  or  after  deck. 
There  whs,  on  board,  material  to  repair  the  boats,  and 
for  the  carpenter  to  use  in  making  new  ones— boat 
boards,  knees,  nails,  etc.  The  Sophia  also  carried  a 
small  supply  of  iron  and  steel,  and  two  or  three  cases 

♦Feb.  4, 1820.— N.  Ik'dforU  Wlialing  Record. 


of  copper  sheathing.  The  vessel  was  sheathed  with 
wood,  and  copper  outside  of  it;  as  in  the  waters  of 
the  Pacific,  whither  she  was  bound,  the  worms  are 
very  destructive.  At  one  time,  later,  the  vessel  leaked 
so  badly,  by  reason  of  the  worms  gnawing  into  the 
planking,  that  the  hold  had  to  be  broken  out,  and  the 
carpenter  slaked  lime,  and  filled  the  place  about  with 
brick;  working  down  there  the  greater  part  of  a 
day. 

The  blacksmith  had  a  small  forge,  and  an  anvil 
strapped  with  iron  to  the  deck.  He  did  not  work  all 
the  time,  but  when  there  was  need,  mended  a  cask, 
repaired  the  harpoons,  and  sometimes  made  new  ones, 
also  straps  for  the  blocks,  and  chain  plates;  tiie  old 
ones  giving  out  in  so  long  a  voyage.  The  bob-stay 
chains  frequently  broke,  and  new  links  had  to  pnt  in 
them. 

The  fare  on  ship  board,  for  the  men,  was  salt  beef 
and  pork,  hard  bread,  peas,  beans,  flour  pudding,  or 
duff,  boiled  in  a  bag,  and  pea  cofiee. 

£ach  whale  boat  has  a  crew  of  six  men,  one  is  a 
harpooner,  another  the  boatsteerer,  and  a  third  the 
line  tender.  Whale  boats  are  steered  by  an  oar.  Mr. 
F.  pulled  the  tub  our,  as  that  nearest  the  bow  is 
called,  and  it  was  his  duty,  when  they  were  fast  t«  a 
whale,  and  the  line  was  running rapitV.y  from  the  tub; 
to  throw  water  on  it  as  fast  as  he  could.  The  har- 
pooner and  line  tender  pull  at  the  oars.  £ach  boat 
carries  two  tubs  of  line,  harpoons,  lance,  knite, 
hatchet,  mast  and  sail  to  use  if  needed,  some  bread, 
and  a  boat  keg  filled  with  water;  it  being,  often,  very 
warm  where  they  cruise. 

A  whale  is  always  rowed  up  to;  never  sailed  upon, 
and  is  approached  from  either  windward  or  leeward 


side;   tl 
■the  har] 
strikes, 
part  of 
boatstee 
Somet 
come  u 
the  bow 
while  ©1 
They  h 
harpooi 
chase  is 
The  c 
stern  w 
was  als 
house  o 
stecrer? 


We 
very 
vicini 


lathed  with 
s  waters  of 
woi'ins  are 
ssel leaked 
ig  into  the 
ut,  and  the 
ab»ut  with 
part  of  a 

d  ail  anvil 
>t  work  all 
ed  a  cask, 
••ew  ones, 
!8;  the  old 
e  bob-stav 
J  to  put  ill 

IS  salt  beef 
adding^,  or 

n»  one  18  a 
third  the 
oar.    Mr. 
e   bow  is 
5  fast  t»  a 
I  the  tub; 
The  har- 
2ach  boat 
5,    knite, 
le  bread, 
ten,  very 

'd  upon, 
leeward 


9 

side;  the  whaleman's  chief  anxiety  being  to  fasten 
the  harpoon  in  the  whale.  When  the  harpoouer 
strikes,  he  cries,  "Stern  all  I"  and  runs  to  the  after 
part  of  the  boat,  and  takes  the  oar  from  the  mate,  vr 
boatsteerer,  who  goes  forward  and  takes  the  lance. 

Sometimes,  when  fast  to  a  whale,  the  water  will 
come  up  on  the  sides  of  the  boat,  and  half  fill  it;  often 
the  bow  dips  under.  The  whale  is  frequently  lanced 
while  en  the  run,  by  pulling  up  to  him  with  the  line. 
They  have  even  been  known  to  be  killed  by  the 
harpoon  alone;  but  very  often,  before  he  is  slain,  the 
chase  is  a  long  one. 

The  cabin  of  the  Sophia  was  below  decks,  with 
stern  windows,  as  was  cuslomary  then;  the  forecastle 
was  also  below  decks,  forward,  the  caboose,  or  co«k 
house  on  deck.  The  captain,  three  mates  and  the  boat 
steerers  were  officers,  and  messed  in  the  cabin. 


Well  1  all  things  ready,  the  Sophia  sailed,  and  had  a 
very  favorable  voyage  until  she  got  down  int»  the 
vicinity  of  Cape   Horn,   where  bad  w«ather  was  met 


10 


with,  and  the  sliip  pitched  about  nearly  31  days,  (tlie|)ui  of 
captain  nnable  to  tell  where  they  were)  encountering  late,  g< 
cold  blasts  and  snow  storms,  so  that  it  was  necessary 
to  knock  the  ice  off  the  rigging  with  clubs.  One  dark 
morning,  just  before  dawn,  "Land-hol"  was  shouted, 
and  they  soon  enough  beheld  it -seemingly  but  a 
short  distance  ahead — looming  up  before  them,  <hirk 
and  stern,  with  the  white  foam  beating  upon  it.  Had 
the  ship  misstayed  in  her  going  about,  and  gone  (ui 
shore,  all  on  board  nuist  have  perished.  However! 
escaping  this  dunger,  they  at  last  nnnle  Tierru  del 
Fuego,  and  then  had  better  wealhi-r,  and  a  good 
passage  around  Cape  Horn. 


After  tliey  had  got  safely  into  the  Pacific,  and  were 
up  off  Valparaiso;  one  day  there  was  heaid  the  wel- 
come cry  of,  *'Whale-hoI"  This  proved  to  be  a 
discovery — a  large  (one  hundred  barrel)  sperm  whale. 
Three  boats  were  immediately  IowchmI,  and  went  in 
pursuit  of  him.  lie  was  harpooned,  but  before  the 
lance  could  be  used  with  fatal  effect,  the  whale  sud- 
denly began  to  roll  over  and  over,  entangling  the 
lines.  There  was  some  mismanagement,  chiefly  in 
not  cutting  the  lino,  or  "warp"  attachec'  the  lance, 
and  the  affair  resulted  in  the  wlnrte's  sniashiuif  all 
three  of  the  boats  into  nnitchwood,  and  they,  with 
six  tubs  of  line,  all  the  harpoons  and  boat  gear 
complete,  were  lost,  and  the  whale  got  off;  his  escape 
alone  amounted  to  several  thousand  dollars  out  of 
their  hands. 

This  happened  about  a  mile  from  the  vessel ;  in 
plain  sight  of  her,  and  other  boats  were  at  once  sent 
out,  and  picked  up  the  men. 

Their  captain  declared  that  he  could  kill  "nine  whales 


On 
nain  n 
iometii 
seaman 
It  cou^ 
shoes, 
ships. 
togetlH 
even  vi 
lanced 
Whale 
The  sh 
during 
the  tin 
was  es 
the  de( 
IntJ 
the  tee 
Shoi 
tucket 
the  Pi 
bers. 
haviui 
jaw  o 
Th< 
morel 

time, 
Th 

dowi 

Bho^ 

•ut( 

and 


51  days,  (tJie 
Jncoiinteriiig 
as  necessary 
•  One  dark 
was  shouted, 
i'lffly   but  a 

J'hjui,  dark 
'<>'•  it.  Had 
"d   tfone  on 

However  I 
'  'J'ie rru  del 
H'd   a   o-ood 

'f  Hud  were 
••d  the  wcl- 
M  to  l)e  a 
♦'"•m  whahi. 
|'<1  went  in 
l»efore  the 
whale  sud- 
•'^•'i'lg-  the 
<5'iiet]y  in 
t^'ie  lance, 
lashing-  all 
t'lcy,  with 
boat  jrear 
In's  escape 
'•'8  out  of 

vessel ;  in 
once  sent 

Jfi  whales 


11 

lit  of  ten."    In  this  voyage,  the  mate  was  most  fortu- 

ate,  getting  two  thirds  of  the  oil. 

On  whale  ships,  a  lookout  is  kept  from  the  fore  and 

nain  royal  yards,  by  men   sitting  astride  them,  with, 

ometimes,  the  mate  on   the  topsail  yard  also.    Our 

eaman  once  got  a  prize  for  discovering  whales  first. 

t  consisted  of  a  hat,   red  fiannel  shirt,  pants  and 

shoes,  or  "pumps."     This  is  an  old  custom  on  whale 

ships.      Often,   they   did    not  see    whales    for   days 

together;   once,   the  vessel   was  surrounded  by  them, 

even  right  under  the   bowsprit;  several  of  these  were 

lanced.    They  were  of  a  sn»all  variety,  called  "School 

Whale,"   yielding  about  thirty   barrels  of  oil  each. 

The  ship  captured,  but  one,  one  hundred  barrel  whale 

during  this  voyage,  and  so  warm  was  the  weather  at 

the  time,  that  the  waste,  in   cutting  up  the  blubber, 

was  estimated  to  be  ten  barrels  of  oil,  which  ran  over 

the  decks,  out  of  the  lee  scuppers. 

In  these  tropic  climes,  the  deck  is  often  so  hot  that 
the  feel  are  blistered  by  walking  on  it. 

Shortly  before  this  day,  the  ship  Essex,  of  Nan- 
tucket, was  stove  in  and  sunk  by  an  angry  whale,  in 
the  Pacific;  an  event  which  our  narrator  well  remem- 
bers. The  mate  of  the  Sophia  told  his  experience,  h« 
having  once  been  in  a  boat,  when  a  whale  threw  his 
jaw  over  the  bow,  and  killed  one  of  the  crew. 

The  same  customs  are  observed  on  whale,  as  on 
merchant  vessels.  Such  as  the  tolling  of  a  bell  to  tell 
time,  the  keeping  of  watches,  etc. 

The  whale,  when  struck,  usually  goes  straight 
down,  sounding  as  it  is  called;  and  as  he  does  so, 
shows  nearly,  if  not  quite  the  whole  of  his  great  body 
•ut  of  water.  He  sometimes  stays  below  an  hour, 
and  on  coming  up  blows  the  water  from  his  lungs  with 


12 

a  sfreat  puff.  One  day  the  boat  to  which  Mr.  F.  be- 
longed was  lowered  for  a  whale,  which  when  struck, 
made  straight  off  in  tlie'^eyeof  the  wind,"  occasionally 
sounding;  it  was  killed,  but  the  men  were  out  all 
night,  pulling  hard  by  a  line  fastened  to  the  whale's 
flukes,  or  tail,  towing  it  to  leeward,  while  the  ship 
was  beating  up  on  short  tacks  to  windward,  to  meet 
them.  They  did  not  reach  her  until  the  afternoon 
following. 

The  Sperm  whale  is  quick  of  hearing;  when  at  rest, 
his  eyes  are  a  little  above  the  surface  ot  the  water. 
They  subsist  largely  on  the  cuttle  fish,  or  squid,  and 
pieces  of  it,  of  the  size  of  a  cask,  are  sometimes  seen 
floating  on  the  ocean,  by  the  whalemen. 


When  a  whale  is  captured,  and  alongside  the  ship, 
an  iron  hook  nearly  as  largo  as  a  man's  arm  is 
fastened  into  the  blubber,  haying  a  tackle  and  fall  from 
it  to  the  mast  head,  down  to  the  windlass,  and  from 
there  to  the  capstan ;  with  men  at  each.  After  the 
blubber  is  well  started,  the  hook  is  taken  out,  and  a 
billet  of  wood  substituted.  The  blubber  is  then  cut, 
and  hauled  until  it  reaches  nearly  to  the  top  ^f  the 
mast,  when  the  long  strip  is  severed  at  the  whale,  and 
let  down  between  decks,  where  men  are  stationed  to 


18 


cut  it  into  short  pieces  called  ''blanket;"  and  to  mince 
it  into  small  bits.  It  is  then  thrown  up  into  hogshead 
tubs,  and  from  there  into  the  trying  kettles.  Onr 
informant  has  stood  .up  to  his  knees  in  oil  and  blubber 
as  a  mincer,  between  decks,  his  clothes  all  bloody  and 
oily — dirty  work,  but  clean  money.  The  whale  bone 
of  the  Right  Whale  is  hoisted  on  board  by  the 
windlass. 
Some  ships  have  two  try  kettles,  others  three,  set  in 

brickwork  on  the  deck,  secured  by  iron  knees,  to 
prevent  injury  from  the  rolling  af  the  vessel,  and 
made  safe  against  fire.  Alongside  these,  there  is  a 
^reat  copper  cooling  tank,  holding  two  or  three 
hogsheads.  The  kettles  hold  about  three  barrels  each. 
The  fires  are  fed  by  the  scraps  of  blubber,  which  burn 
fiercely,  making  a  dreadful  smoke,  and  illumining  the 
ship  at  night.  The  oil  is  baled  from  the  kettles  into 
the  cooler,  and  after  being  there  half  a  day  is  put  into 
strong  casks,  holding  three  hundred  gallons  apiece, 
with  staves  an  inch  thick,  but  the  oil  is  then  so  hot 
that  the  staves  are  sometimes  eaten  or  charred  by  it. 
Many  casks  are  kept  on  deck,  lashed  along  the 
bulwarks,  by  means  of  iron  rings  let  into  the  stan- 
chions. The  oil  often  remains  on  deck  a  week,  before 
being  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  ship.  When  the 
hold  is  full,  the  between  decks  are  stowed.  Some 
empty  hogsheads  are  kept  on  deck.  The  cooper  keeps 
the  casks  in  order. 

The  nose,  or  "case"  of  the  Sperm  whale  is  cut  off 
with  a  sharp  instrument  called  a  spade;  the  piece  is 
then  hoisted  up,  or  inverted  in  such  a  way  that  the 
oil  can  be  baled  from  it  as  from  a  barrel.  A  three 
hundred  gallon  cask  is  sometimes  filled  with  pure  oil 
from  the  "case"  of  a  large  Sperm  whale. 


14 


The  birds,  which  they  commonly  met  at  sea,  were 
the  gulls;  when  a  whale  was  being  cut  up  they 
gathered  around  in  great  numbers. 

In  former  days,  whale  ships  cruising  in  distant 
oceans,  tilled  up  with  oil,  and  then  brought  it  home; 
now  it  is  often  freighted  for  them  in  other  vesi^els. 
At  the  time  of  which  we  write,  there  were  pirates  on 
the  ocean  especially  in  the  West  Indies  ;Capt.  Dimon 
Hubbard  of  this  town  was  taken  by  them.  They  did 
not  trouble  whalemen  much,  but  once,  in  the  Pacific, 
when  the  Sophia  was  followed  by  a  strange  sail  for  a 
day  and  a  half,  the  captain  averred  that  it  was  a 
pirate,  and  that  with  his  glass,  he  could  see  brnss 
cannon,  and  the  deck  black  with  men. 

After  the  ship  had  been  out  about  twelve  months 
and  had  much  oil  on  board,  she  ran  into  port,  where 
is  now  the  city  of  San  Francisco;  here,*  the  cook, 
who  had  been  sick,  died  and  was  buried. 

Previcusly,  one  of  their  men  who  was  tishing  for 
Bonito  from  the  bowsprit  fell  into  the  water,  and 
sank  at  once.  The  ship  was  laid  to,  and  a  large  gun 
tired,  but  nothing  more  was  suen  of  him. 

Although   no   Americans    lived   at   the  port   they 

visited,  they  found  here  a  party  gathering  furs,  under 

the  command  of  one  Smith,   who  brought  on  board  a 

present  of  teveral  deer. 
Whalers  touch  at  various   places  to  get  wood  and 

water,  and  fresh  provisions.    At  this  place  they  could 

buy  a  bullock   for  a  dollar,  or  a  horse  for  a  dollar. 

The  Spaniards  had   large  enclosures,  or  corrals,  one 

full  of  horses  another  of  beeves.      While  here,  Mr.  F. 

made  some  screws  for    the  Spaniards'  guns;   they 

were  charged  a  dollar  apiece  for  them,  the  price  of  a 

bullock. 


At  on 
the  port 
tiliiios,  t 
"111 p  of  \ 
of  her  of 
I  Ik;  nati> 
virions  i 
The  w 
«|)iiing 
licro  the; 
\\n\\  and 
Once, 
^'•ns  Islan 
j;o()(l  as  ( 
^lioro  aiK 
for  two  ( 
I  lie    bird 
knocked 
jrrcw  on 
I>Im('(?  \\U 
Onr  na 
')ii(l  tinal 
Pern,  wl 
•^iiiayaqn 
cainn  for 
no  other 
and  soldi 
lie  did  no 
their  men 
used  for 
their  ban 
vessel  thji 
teiik  in  til 


16 


tea,  were 
up   they 

I  distant 
it  home; 
r  veswls. 
urates  on 
t.  Dimon 
They  did 
le  Pacific, 
sail  for  a 
it  was  a 
see  brass 

^e  months 
>rt,  where 
tlie  cook, 

Ishing  for 
^ater,  and 
large  gun 

>ort  they 
irs,  under 
)U  board  a 

wood  and 
hey  could 
r  a  dollar. 
>rrals,  one 
i-e,  Mr.  F. 
pus;  they 
price  of  a 


At  one  time  during  this  voyage  the  ship  went  into 
llie  port  of  Calluo,  where  the  people  were  ever  at  hos- 
lilities,  the  .Sophia  laid  under  the  guns  of  the  American 
'^liipof  war  Const itulion,  tlion  in  port.  At  night  some 
of  iierofflccrs  came  on  bojird,  telling  the  whalemen  that 
tli(!  natives  would  come  oflT,  and  steal  all  their  pro- 
vi>ions  if  they  were  n«t  protected. 

The  whaling  vessel,  in  some  severe  weather,  had 
spinng  her  foremast,  below  the  cai»;  accoi'dingly, 
hcie  they  got  somo  spare  deck  plank  from  the  ship  of 
ujir,  and  fished  it. 

Once,  on  this  cruij^c,  the  Sophia  visited  the  (ialapa- 
;'(ts  Islands,  far  "Terrapin,"  a  large  turtle,  nearly  as 
;:()o(l  as  Green  Turtle.  They  wore  found  up  on  the 
^lioro  and  to  bring  one  to  the  boat  was  a  heavy  lift 
for  two  of  the  crew.  These  were  guano  islands,  and 
ilio  birds  were  so  numerous  that  they  could  be 
knocked  over  with  sticks.  A  few  Cocoa-nut  palms 
<T\v\v  on  the  islands,  but  no  people  lived  on  them;  the 
l>l!ire  where  they  landed  they  calleti  Uocadundy. 

Our  narrator  was  nearly  three  years  in  the  Sophia, 
and  finally  left  her  at  a  small  port  on  the  coast  of 
Peru,  which  he  calls  "Decambres"'  (not  far  below 
riiiayaqnil).  It  was  to  these  coasts  that  vessels  then 
lanie  for  copper.  When  he  left  the  ship,  there  was 
no  other  vessel  in  port,  but  there  were  barracks  there, 
and  soldiers,  who  threatened  to  shoot  him;  although 
he  (lid  not  understand  their  language,  he  well  knew 
tlieir  menniiig,  and  hid  in  a  chimney,  which  the  ju'iests 
used  for  baking  bread,  uiuil  the  soldiers  had  gone  to 
their  barracks,  when  he  came  out,  and  joined  the  first 
vessel  that  entered  port;  an  English  ship,  built  of 
teak  in  the  East  Indies,  and  larger  than  the  one  that 
lie  had  left,      lie   was  two  years  in  this  vessel,  and 


16 

thought  himself  better  treated  than  when  in  the  other 
The  captain  of  the  Enlish  ship  was  so  very  neat  that 
he  disliked  to  soil  the  decks  with  oil.  At  one  time 
when  they  were  near  one  of  the  low,  dark  islands  of 
the  Pacific,  he  sent  off  and  got  a  quantity  of  lemons 
which  were  used  to  make  the  decks  look  white. 
Sometimes  they  stopped  to  get  wood,  cocoa-nuts  and 
other  fruit,  and  would  then  fill  the  torepeak  up  with 
yams. 


While  in  the  Pacific,  on  these  voyages,  Mr.  F. 
visited  a  place  on  the  American  coast  called  Cape  St. 
Joseph,  where  his  ship  took  on  board  several  hundred 
barrels  of  Sea  Elephant  oil, 

These  great  animal?  were  wont  to  go  up  on  the 
shore  to  bask.  The  females  were  killed  with  a  club, 
or  a  handspike,  but  the  males  were  very  ugly,  hobbling 
towards  the  men  with  open  mouths,  roaring;  they 
were  shot  in  the  throat  with  a  musket  ball.  The 
blubber  was  tried  out  on  shore. 

At  this  place,  they  found  great  quantities  of  kelp 


vessels 


u  the  other. 
i*y  neat  that 
Vt  one  time, 
k  islands  of 
'■  of  lemons, 
ook  white, 
oa-nnts  and 
ilk   up  with 


08,  Mr.  F. 
ed  Cape  St. 
ral  hundred 

>  up  on  the 
^ith  a  club, 
y,  hobbling 
ii'iug;  they 
ball.    The 

Jes  of  kelp 


17 

lioiiting  on  the  ocean,  so  much  was  there,  that  the 
boats  were  often  impeded  in  getting  through  it. 

At  Cape  St.  Joseph  were  many  turtles,  which  the 
crew  caught,  and  subsisted  on  for  nearly  two  months ; 
sometimes  the  decks  would  be  corered  with  them ; 
they  were  called  Green  Turtles,  aud  two  men  could 
aiiicely  carry  one  of  the  large  ones. 

It  was  on  leaving  the  £nglish  ship,  that  our  adveu- 
inrer  met  with  his  greatest  loss.  The  vessel  went  to 
New  Zealand,  and  while  there,  lay  off  the  mouth  of  a 
liver,  in  this  stream,  tw«  or  three  miles  above,  several 
yossols  were  at  anchor.  As  the  provisions  were 
ircliing  much  reduced,  the  captain  desired  to  lessen 
Ills  crew,  and  gave  Mr.  F.  and  a  seaman  named  Cooper, 
permission  to  leave,  as  they  had  asked  it.  Accord- 
iiij(ly  they  were  paid  off,  and  engaged  one  of  the 
natives  to  take  them  in  his  canoe,  with  their  luggage, 
to  the  vessels;  after  going  a  mile  or  more,  out  of  sight 
of  the  ship,  this  fellow  took  them  alongside  a  large 
war  canoe,  when  they  were  at  once  carried  on  shore, 
where  they  found  themselves  encircled  by  threatening 
Siivages. 

For  venturing  some  remark.  Cooper  received  a 
wound  in  the  head,  which  bled  much.  Their  chests 
were  broken  open  and  the  contents  carried  off  by  the 
armful,  they  were  even  robbed  ©f  most  of  the  gar- 
ments thai  they  wore. 

Mr.  F.  lost  not  only  all  the  clothing  that  he  had 
drawn  on  shipboard,  but  something  besides  of  far 
greater  value  to  him— $1600 — all  his  earnings.  When 
evening  came,  they  were  placed  in  the  opposite  cor- 
ners of  a  hut,  while  the  natives  slept  on  the  floor. 
At  midnight,  our  venturesome  young  sailor  said  to 
his  companion,  **Now  is  the  time  for  us  to  escape," 


18 

ami  bc<^iiiiiiiig  by  feeling  carefully,  first  over  one 
sleeix'i",  then  over  another,  I  hey  nmde  their  way  out 
of  tke  hut,  and  to  the  shore,  where  they  found  a 
canoe,  and  safely  reached  one  of  the  vessels.  Ilei 
they  were  liindly  received;  ©iie  man  giviujf  IheiriH 
hat,  another  a  shirt,  or  jacket,  until  they  were  filtoil 
out  again. 

The  following  morn'  )g,  three  boat  loads  of  nioii. 
carrying-  guns,  went  d  .  n  to  the  scene  of  the  adven- 
ture, and  threatened  tu  blow  the  natives  out  of  ilic 
water  if  the  m«ney  was  not  returned.  The  sav  ^c^ 
waded  off  up  to  their  chins  in  the  water,  gritting  ilitii' 
teeth  so  as  to  be  distinctly  heard.  (Another  custom 
of  theirs  was  that  of  beating  on  the  sides  of  ilioir 
canoes,  which  made  a  greal  noise.)  Mr.  F.  dcsin'd 
to  fire  on  them  here,  but  the  captain  said  **N«,  wo  will 
get  nothing  by  that,  we  must  go  and  tell  the  uiis- 
sionarys."  Accordingly  tiiey  went,  but  received, 
only,  for  an  answer,  *'The  two  men  had  no  business 
to  be  there." 

Finding  himself  on  board  another  English  shii»,  lio 
was  now  obliged  to  go  in  her  around  Cai)e  Horn  to 
London.  While  there  he  saw  one  of  the  great  London 
bridges  made  free.  The  King  and  Queen  were 
present,  dining  on  the  bridge,  and  a  ballo(>n,  contain- 
ing two  men  waving  flags,  was  sent  up. 

Prom  London  he  made  a  short  voyage  to  Qneboe 
and  back,  for  timber,  in  an  old  ship  that  would  hardly 
hold  together,  and  afterwards  joined  a  whaling  vessel, 
named  Eliza,  as  blacksmith. 

After  being  out  a  week,  the  captain,  who  was  prin- 
cipal owner,  put  back,  to  Portsmouth  for  his  wife. 
Ag^ain  they  set  sail,  and  cruised  for  nearly  three  years, 


19 

{nally  {folngf  into  Sydney,  N.  8.  W.,  where  the  crew 
was  paid  off,  the  oil  being  sold. 

While  here,  Mr.  F.  witnessed  the  execution  of  nine 
men,  called  "Bush  Rangers,''  all  at  one  time.  Such  a 
ipectacle  he  de^ii*es  nerer  to  see  again. 


At  Sydney,  he  shipped  on  a  square  rigged  brig, 
belonging  to  Salem,  U.  S.,  and  bvund  to  the  Fecjee 
Inlands,  for  a  cargo  of  Tortoise-shell  and  Beche-de- 
mer*.  The  Beche-de-mer  is  a  brown  worm,  about  as 
large  as  a  man's  wrist.  It  is  found  on  the  reefs,  and 
virlien  taken  from  the  wa^er  has  the  curious  habit  of 
turning  its  stomach  inf'de  out,  as  it  were.  These 
creatures  are  gathered  by  the  natives,  who  sell  them 
for  'Mittle  or  nothing,"  a  scrap  of  calico,  or  piece  of 
iron  hoop.  The  natives  fasten  the  iren  into  sticks, 
and  with  those  rude  implements  dig  out  their  canoes; 
as  many  as  twenty  savages  being  seen  at  one  time, 

d<?fir>"S>  away. 
The  Beche-de-mer  was  boiled  in  pots,  then  dried  on 

*A  Radiate— also  called  Trepang. 


20 

flakes  over  a  slight  fire  until  it  was  perfectly  dry  and 
hard. 

It  is  sold  to  the  Chinese,  who  use  it  for  making 
soups. 

Sometimes,  the  captain  got  the  native  chiefs  on 
board,  and  held  them  as  hostages  for  his  men  on 
shore;  again,  some  of  the  brig's  crew,  with  pistols  in 
their  hands,  walked  on  each  side  of  them.  One  Capt. 
Barteford,  of  Salem,  who  was  on  bi)ard,  told  Mr.  F. 
that  he  once  lost  a  vessel,  and  was  the  sole  survivor 
of  the  ship's  company,  which  was  attacked  by  natives. 
He  saved  his  life  only  by  offering  ihonj  everything  lie 
could  think  of. 

Once,  the  natives  carao  alongside  the  brig,  with  two 
brass  cannon,  which  they  had  captured  soraewiiere; 
the  crew  were  obliged  to  fire  on  them,  the  vessel 
carrying  four  small  guns. 

These  savages  would  gladly  give  a  pig  in  exchan!,^e 
for  a  dog;  plenty  of  the  former  animals,  of  from  150 
to  200  lbs.  weight,  could  be  bought  of  them.  When 
many  pigs  were  on  deck  they  would  fight,  and  once, 
one  or  two  fell  overboard,  but  were  quickly  rescued 
by  lowering  a  boat. 

The  Feejee  Islands  were  well  wooded.  The  bar- 
barous men,  who  inhabit  them,  wore  no  clothe"^, 
were  tattooed,  and  had  clay  on  their  heads.  Their 
noses  were  out  through  and  their  ears  perforated. 
From  the  latter  hung  large  iron  rings.  They  were 
thought  to  be  cannibals;  as  one  day,  two  large  war- 
canoes  passed  the  brig  with  their  bottoms  paved  with 
the  bodies  of  victims.  The  chiefs  sat  in  the  sterns  of 
the  canoes,  ten  feet  above  their  men. 

Having  at  last  collected  a  cargo,  dome  of  it  being 


Tortoise- 
vessel  set 
sajfo  a  sev 
away  the 
also  start* 
the  captai 
Head,  the 
was  risinj 
anchors 
keel.      Fi 
way.    Oi 
lepsiired. 
While  i 
ns  blacksi 
had  been 
engine,  a 
each  was 
up  and  h( 

9C0WiJ  WC 

oP"  ..o   th 
foi-<fe  on 


*A  wal 


!tly  dry  and 


for  making 


!  chiefs  oil 
lis  men  on 
h  pistols  in 
One  Capt. 
tola  Mr.  F. 
le  survivor 
by  narives. 
erythiii^  he 


wifh  two 
orae  where; 
,  the  vessel 

n  exchange 
f  from  150 
n.  When 
,  and  once, 
i:Iy  rescued 

The  bai'- 
10  clothes 
da.  Tlieir 
►erf orated, 
rhey  vrere 
largo  war- 
•aved  with 
}  sterns  of 


»f  it  being 


21 

Tortoise-shell,  which  is  used  for  making  combs,  the 
vessel  set  sail  for  Manilla*,  encountering  on  the  pas- 
mge  a  severe  storm,  which  did  much  damage,  carrying 
away  the  boats,  cook's  galley,  pig-pen  and  pigs;  it 
also  started  the  planksheer  and  broke  the  bulwarks; 
the  captain  gave  up  all  for  It;  it.  Farther  on,  off  Java 
Head,  the  vessel  ran  onto  tt  coral  reef,  but  as  the  tide 
was  rising,  she  came  ofi'  by  the  help  of  the  kedge 
anchors  with  the  loss  of  a  small  piece  of  her 
keel.  From  there  to  Manilla  they  sounded  all  the 
\vn\ .  On  arrival,  the  cargo  was  sold,  and  the  vessel 
repiiired. 

While  at  Manilla,  Mr.  F.  worked  for  nine  months 
HS  blacksmith  on  board  an  iron  dredging  boat,  which 
had  been  built  in  England.  It  carried  a  powerful 
engine,  and  had  two  ladder  like  arms;  at  the  end  of 
each  was  a  steel  pointed  bucket,  capable  of  scooping 
up  and  holding  two  or  three  bushels  of  mud.  Many 
scovvd  were  alongside,  which  when  filled  were  towed 
oP'  m  {he  outer  harbor,  and  emptied.  Having  his 
forge  on  board  he  made  new  links,  two  palms  broad 


[ 


*A  walled  town,  Philippine  Islands. 


22 

and  two  feet  long  for  Ihe  buckets,  besides  doinjjp  othei 
renairs. 


an  old  sh 
boy ;  af  tc 
a  man  na 
old-fashi 


At.  the  end  of  this  engaLcement,  joining  a  Salem 
ship  with  a  cargo  of  ManiUa  rope  and  hemp,  (tor  it  is 
from  here  tliat  the  Manilhi  rope  comes)  cottee,  rice 
ami  sugar;  he  sailed  around  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
for  New  York. 

Arriving,  lie  remained  on  board  while  the  vessel 
was  discharging  her  cargo,  and  afterwards  returned 
with  her  to  Salem,  where  he  leflt  for  his  home;  going 
as  far  as  Portsmouth  in  the  cars,  the  remainder  of  the 
distance  in  the  stage.  He  had  been  absent  twelve 
years,  and  during  that  time,  had  lost  his  father.  His 
mother,  although  her  vision  was  dimmed,  recognized 
him. 

After  these  voyages,  he  worked  for  seven  years  for 
Mr.  John  Fessenden,  blacksmith,  Portland  St.,  Boston; 
but  falling  sick  was  persuaded  by  his  brother  to  return 
to  Kennebunk,  where  he  established  himself  in  busi- 
ness on  Saco  road,  building  a  house  there,  but  using 


doliigr  other 


ij^"  a  Salem 

>p,  (fur  it  is 

cottee,  rice 

Good  Hope 


28 

an  old  shop,  which  was  standing,  even  when  he  was  a 
boy ;  afterwards,  it  iiad  been  bought  by  his  father,  of 
a  man  named  Simpson,  the  price  paid  for  it,  was  an 
old-fashioned,  brass  mounted  clock. 

THE  END. 


e  the  vessel 
ds  returned 
>me;  going 
iider  of  the 
lent  twelve 
ither.  His 
recognized 


n  years  for 
it.,  Boston; 
?r  to  return 
jelf  in  busi- 
s,  but  using 


